ITV Wednesday Cheltenham and Newmarket Preview

Our first selections of the afternoon on ITV come in the bet365 Handicap and we have two horses at double figure prices that can hit the frame.

The first is the Tom Dascombe trained Willie John, who moved stables and owners this season having been with Roger Varian and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.

Willie John is a very interesting runner on debut for the yard having been tried between 7f to 10f under Varian and now starting off over 6f.

Having cost 1.9 million Guineas he has always been thought off to become a nice horse and started his career off accordingly by winning both his races.

However, having lost his way he might just need this change of scenery and drop in trip to see the best of him, with Dascombe having a 40% strike rate with older horses at Newmarket.

At a similar price to Willie John, Additional for Martyn Meade was hit and miss between June and October last year, but if getting back to the form of his first two runs he can get right in the mix.

He finished a good third on debut last June at Yarmouth on rapid ground and then backed that up by getting off the mark at Lingfield, again on quick ground.

He was then sent into two Listed Races at Deauville and York and ran no sort of race on both occasions, but then bounced back at Ascot after that in October to finish third in a decent handicap.

Heavy ground was against him last time out and now getting back to a sounder surface and being fresh are two things that she see this horse run a better race.

The feature race on the card at Cheltenham on Wednesday is the Grade Two Ballymore Silver Trophy Handicap Chase and Coole Cody looks the value bet.

This 10 year old, although slightly older than most in this field loves it round Cheltenham and looks to have some of the best recent form on offer.

The gelding has been highly consistent this term, needing good ground to be at his best and on debut in August at Newton Abbot he got that and scored nicely.

He backed that up on his next two runs when close seconds at Newton Abbot again and at Cheltenham and that set him up perfectly for a crack at the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Over a similar trip to this race a Cheltenham, the gelding went on to land his biggest scalp of his career when taking the Grade Three event by close to four lengths.

He was sent back to Cheltenham after that trying to land the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and having gone up in the weights he still managed to finish sixth of 17 runners.

Given a little break, he returned in the Grade Two Pendil Novices' Chase in February at Newbury and he was third of four runners, with the winner Tamaroc Du Mathan holding some close form with the Dual Grade One winning Shishkin.

Coole Cody headed back to Cheltenham last time out in the Paddy Power Plate at the festival and he managed to finished a superb fourth of 21 runners behind superstar The Shunter and Farclas.

Both the first and second have gone on to frank the form in better races and with conditions to suit Coole Cody looks tough to beat if turning up.

The first big race of the day is the European Free Listed Handicap over seven furlongs and Naval Crown takes the eye for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

The son of Dubawi was highly active as a juvenile, making his debut in July at Newmarket on soft ground and finished a good third behind stablemate Magical Land and the exciting Youth Spirit for Andrew Balding.

He backed that up with another third behind the smart Chindit and then used that run to get off the mark at the third time of asking at York on good ground.

The three year old was then upped in class at ParisLongchamp and Saint-Cloud in Group Three events and finished third twice behind decent company.

He was then given a break and returned in February a much more mature horse at Meydan, finishing third on the dirt behind two very smart horses in the UAE 2000 Guineas.

Naval Crown improved massively for that run and landed a Listed event on turf at Meydan over a mile and he looks to be one of the more fitter horses entering this race.

Next up is the 2m4f Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle and Proschema for the Skelton's could bounce back to form stepping up in trip.

The six year old was a smart second on his debut at Wetherby and although being pulled up at Cheltenham in the Greatwood hurdle has bounced back to form on the flat, landing back to back races in jumpers bumpers on the all weather.

He went to Newbury last time out back over hurdles and it was thought he would run well on the drying ground he likes but he ran no sort of race to finish fifth.

The form of that race has worked out however, with the winner going on to finish a close third in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle last week.

Proschema now stepped up in trip should give a much better showing and at an each way price is worth taking the punt.

Although there are only two places on offer in this race we have selected two of the outsiders against the field to run big races at each way prices.

The first is the Roger Varian trained San Donato in the famous yellow and black polka dot silks and this 500,000gns purchase has bundles of ability.

The son of Lope De Vega Landed a hat-trick in 2018 as a juvenile at Haydock, Kempton and then a Listed race at Doncaster over six furlongs.

He only ran once as a three year old, giving a superb performance in the Group One French 2000 Guineas, finishing third behind the smart Persian King.

San Donato was then not seen again for over a year, racing as a four year old at Glorious Goodwood and desperately needing the run when pitched into the Group One Sussex Stakes won by Mohaather.

He was tried in two other tough events after that in the Group Two City Of York Stakes and Listed Doonside Cup when taken up in trip and just didn't look the same horse.

However, having now had a perfect preparation into the season and being allowed to get back to his best he could have to much for this field off the back of his old form.

At an even bigger price is the Sir Michael Stoute trained Solid Stone who was highly consistent towards the back end of 2020 and may just have a fitness edge on one or two of these.

The son of Shamardal was a 360,000gns purchase as a yearling and straight away showed how good he can be by winning and placing in some decent two and three year old races.

Having been consistent all the way through his career, he kept that towards the back end of last year when winning one race and placing in another three in his four races between September and November.

One of his best performances came at Ascot on Champions Day when a close second in the Balmoral Handicap and although being pitched into Group company, his handler is currently in flying form having nine winners from his last 15 runners, which sees him pose a 60% strike rate.

Each way player.

The feature race on the day at flat racing HQ is the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes over seven furlongs and Star Of Emaraaty for new handlers John & Thady Gosden is worth taking a punt on at a big price.

The three year old filly gave her best showings last season in July at Ayr in a novice event and then coming on for that run to take the Group Three Solera Stakes over course and distance at Newmarket.

She was tried after that win in better races like the Group Two May Hill Stakes and Group One Fillies' Mile but was ultimately outclassed, but now with the Gosden's and back in grade she looks a player at a big price.